And Then They Understood
by JeanHermioneSnape
Summary: A second in time in Hermione's life… a sad second in time. Severus' sad second in time is here, with a new rating for the theme and a new title. Second, and probably final part, will be up in a day or two.
1. She understood

_****__**Disclaimer: **__This is a fan written fiction based on the Harry Potter books. Any__ recognizable element be it character, place, name or plot belongs to J. K. Rowling - the author of Harry Potter - everything else is mine. I make no profit from the creation or posting of this story._

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Hermione closed her eyes.

She had to… she couldn't look anymore into those eyes - so much like her own - filed with such pain it hurt and so much resignation she felt like clawing them out only to stop seeing it there. But what else was there to look at, when that hand - that weak, fragile, yet once strong and powerful hand - tried to lift her small hand and failed.

She couldn't look, not when with his guidance, his weak, barely there guidance, she helped him bring her hand up - up to his chest, up to his neck, up to his chin and up to his lips. And then she had to look.

With eyes swimming in burning hot, salty tears she saw him bring her hand closer and closer… and closer, until she felt it, saw it, loved it and hated it all at once, as he touched his lips to her hand and kissed it.

It was his 'Good Bye' and they both knew it and for the first time since his sickness begun she understood - her father was dying.

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_**Author's notes:** I don't really know what this is - a story, a thought, nothing at all - but I felt the need to write it...  
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	2. He understood

_****__**Disclaimer: **__This is a fan written fiction based on the Harry Potter books. Any__ recognizable element be it character, place, name or plot belongs to J. K. Rowling - the author of Harry Potter - everything else is mine. I make no profit from the creation or posting of this story._

* * *

Severus closed his eyes.

He had to… He simply couldn't look into those bright blue eyes, not now when there was no sparkle there anymore, no know-it-all twinkle that used to infuriate him to hell and back, no life. He simply couldn't… it hurt too much. And still his mind kept on showing him those eyes, the lack of spirit in that oh so frail a body, the resignation of what was to come, the future: his master/friend/pain in the arse/mentor, his everything in some Oedipal twisted way, cold and soulless and… dead.

He didn't want to know all this. He didn't want to understand it so well and… Most of all he didn't want to know that there was nothing - nothing at all, that he or anybody else could do.

No, he didn't want to know… but he did.

He knew the curse was finishing its job. He knew life was slowly and painfully slipping away from him. He understood it was ending and then as if the heavens had opened for him alone to offer guidance and wisdom, suddenly he understood what needed to be done.

Severus opened his eyes and looked - as if he'd never looked before, as if he'd never look again - looked at the man he hated, loved, betrayed, and fought for, but cherished and respected through it all and saw - in those lifeless bright blue eyes - that Albus understood it too and even more - wished for it.

A shaking, withered, backend hand rose up to meet his face and with the last of strength and through a pain Severus knew was killing him the same if not even more than the curse did, caressed the face that stood by him, the face that would be bearing it all…

"Kill… me… Severus… kill… me!"

And kill him Severus did…

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_**Author's notes:** I don't really know what this is - a story, a thought, nothing at all - but I felt the need to write it...  
_


	3. They understood

_****__**Disclaimer: **__This is a fan written fiction based on the Harry Potter books. Any__ recognizable element be it character, place, name or plot belongs to J. K. Rowling - the author of Harry Potter - everything else is mine. I make no profit from the creation or posting of this story._

* * *

She closed her eyes; he kept them opened.

She wanted to forget the pain of seeing him like this; he wanted to remember her for all eternity and anything there could be there beyond it.

She couldn't bare the pain; he couldn't bare her pain - his was forgotten.

He wanted to be strong for her; she wanted to be strong for him. They both failed miserable.

He was dying in body as she was in soul. They were dying together, just like they lived for such a long time and though they both tried denying it… they knew, they've understood for quite some time - this was their end.

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_**Author's notes:** I don't really know what this is - a story, a thought, nothing at all - but I felt the need to write it...  
_


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